College of Integrated Science and Technology

NEW COLLEGES FORMED A plan to reorganize the College of Integrated Science and Technology into two colleges took effect July 1, 2012. The new colleges are the College of Health and Behavioral Studies and the College of Integrated Science and Engineering.

Victoria Faye Alcantara, a junior nursing major, passed away on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2009 following a car accident. She will be dearly missed by all who knew her, including classmates and faculty in the Department of Nursing, her sorority, alpha Kappa Delta Phi, and fellow members of the JMU Nursing Student Association (NSA). With the support of alpha Kappa Delta Phi as lead donor, the Department of Nursing has established a memorial scholarship endowment to honor her, the Victoria F. Alcantara Memorial Scholarship.

“I don’t want her or her passion for helping others to be forgotten,” said Jay Ahn, alpha Kappa Delta Phi president. “Her legacy can continue through this scholarship, supporting nursing students at JMU to become successful nurses who help others, thus fulfilling the dream that Victoria could never fulfill herself.” Maria Noriega, a nursing major and friend agrees. “The two things Alcantara cherished most at JMU were nursing and her sorority, so having both do this for her will help people remember her the way she should be remembered,” said Noriega.

Dr. Merle Mast, Head of the Nursing department, recalls Alcantara’s positive outlook. “When I think about Victoria, I remember her smile and her eagerness to become an excellent nurse,” said Mast. “Her death is a huge loss, not only to us, but to the nursing profession and to health care as we face a growing nursing shortage. Victoria embodied the values of commitment, caring, and academic excellence that we desire in nursing students.”

Duy-Nhat Nguyen, a sorority sister, was impressed by Alcantara’s passion to start a health clinic in the Philipines. “She was very brave and humble, and she had the ability and dedication to make this happen,” said Nguyen. Friends Carmen Sandridge and Jay Ahn noted that Alcantara always showed kindness and respect to others, and she always seemed to have time to help. It is not surprising that through her sorority and the NSA she was actively involved in many community service projects, including breast cancer awareness and blood drives.

She had all the characteristics important for becoming a nurse, but the compassion she showed towards others was extraordinary, recalled Dr. Vicki Martin, Alcantara’s academic advisor and faculty advisor to the NSA. “She was very dedicated, it didn’t matter the age of the person or what was going on with them, she was interested in them; she always wanted to do more.”

Donations to the scholarship can be made by sending a check made payable to the JMU Foundation with a note specifying the “Victoria F. Alcantara Memorial Scholarship Fund #25162”. Contributions should be sent to: